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Southern Magnolia Minerals consist of 4 people: Barbara (me), my husband Todd, our daughter Rachel and our wonderful assistant Abby. We have all worked together manufacturing the SMM Product line. Between the 4 of us we all work at mixing, filling, labeling, packaging your orders and getting them out the door in a timely manner..
My husband Todd is a carpenter then comes home to do photography and packaging and shipping. My daughter Rachel helps label, pull orders and helps with packaging as well. I have a great assistant Karina who does all the filling, puts the kits together, and tells me I need a vacation everyday! I create all the makeup, answer customer questions while running the day to day operations of website, our eBay store, design & print labels, daydream, research, and create more colors!
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Our business started in 2001, but was a dream of mine since I was a teen growing up Kentucky. I was not allowed to wear makeup and I always felt like I was an ugly duckling in school. I was athletic and played sports, but deep down I just wanted to be pretty. I went shopping with my mother one time, I sneaked and bought a makeup kit in which she and my father found. My punishment, I could not play in our next basketball game. My father told the coach what happened! And after that, my coach started calling me “Cover Girl”.
Off to college I went! I would stop at a friend’s house on the weekends before coming home to take my makeup off because I knew my parents would be angry. But during the week, I wore makeup and LOVED it. I experimented with colors, I would put it on, and then make my friends sit down and I would put it on them! Every dime I earned in college was spent on every makeup brand I knew! Makeup was fun and beautiful.
Then came the breakouts. I knew it had to be the makeup as I was lucky enough to not have breakouts in high school. So I started doing research about how to clear up acne and stumbled across some information about making your own makeup and skincare. And that is basically how it started for me. I kept it too myself until I met my husband. When I met him in 1999, he was selling antiques on eBay. He grew up working in his father’s pawn shop, and an antique shop. So he naturally had a knack for business. We put our heads together and my makeup business was born!
Many people have asked how we got our name Southern Magnolia Minerals. First of all, being from the South was a start! I love everything about the South. When I was growing up, I remember seeing this huge tree with deep green leaves and these huge creamy white flowers on them and thought to myself, God, that is beautiful. I never told anyone how beautiful it was, it was just one of those moments you keep to yourself. I blinked my eyes as if to take a picture to remember it forever. Then my Mother surprised my brother and I one night and took us to a fair, I was sooo excited! It was called the Magnolia Fair. That is when I learned what the name of that beautiful tree was called! And that is how my makeup came to be called Southern Magnolia Minerals!
I love what I do and what my business represents to me. It is personal, a testimony that you can do what you set your heart and mind to do. My business is successful because I truly enjoy how it makes me feel, yes, I’m selfish in that way! But I can share my love for natural beauty with people from all over the world! My husband and I have a mantra that we say daily, and I even have it written on my desk so I can look at it too….
I believe in God, I believe in myself, I believe in the future!
This is why our makeup is phenomenal, this is why our commitment to our customers is #1, and this is why we are Southern Magnolia Minerals.
- SMMCosmetics: Come join us for Fill It In Friday! What would the title of a book about your life story be called? http://t.co/GSCw77ti February 3, 2012
- SMMCosmetics: VALENTINE SAVINGS, LAST DAY TO ENTER, HURRY! #constantcontact http://t.co/q1CWkZxo February 3, 2012
- SMMCosmetics: Come and join our community on Facebook! Contests, poll questions, great conversation, and our makeup is awesome, too! http://t.co/GSCw77ti February 2, 2012
Barbara ~ you story is inspirational and it is clear that your dream became are reality because you believed in yourself ~ and perhaps you were meant to have those strict parents and go through that adversity to give you the strong determination you needed to make your dream become a reality.
I have been using Southern Magnolia Minerals for several years now and I suffered from acne through high school and on into my 40′s. I am 52 now and I rarely have a breakout. My skin just seems to get better the older I get and I am even surprised sometimes at how flawless it looks. I think your mineral makeup has alot to do with it.
Thanks for taking such pride in the quality, price and passion you put into your business for all of us who take advantage of it!!
Candace
Thank you so much for such a fantastic product coupled with top-notch customer service!
I first bought your products on ebay after the onset of breakouts and rosacea that I started having after my 3rd child was born. I had never had acne or other skin problems all my life until this phase of my adulthood in my mid 30′s. I noticed a big difference after using your foundation for a month and I was hooked!
I am now going to buy a kit for my mother for her birthday and I won’t buy from anywhere else. A loyal customer you have earned!
Thanks Kelly! I am so glad you are happy with our products! and I can’t wait to hear from your Mother when you tries our minerals!! pass our name along to family and friends, ok!!
Be beautiful,
Barb
Barb, thanks again for your hard work on my order. It’s so appreciated.
Hi Barb,
Thamks fpr sharing your story. I just ordered a kit and several other items from your eBay Store. I am new to mineral make up, the only kind I’ve tried is i.d. I did not like it brcause it was really expensive, it went on heavy and shiney. This is the complete opposite of what I was looking for. I was looking for a natural look. I look forward to SMM.
Thanks for making it affordable!
“I am fresh out of the box” I got a trial kit in the mail yesterday and put it on then and today. I am waiting for my skin to go crazy with break outs!!I mean I have tried every brand of make up stores have and avon and merl norman, mary kay and thats just this year! I have hormone acne, so the doctor says. well I put this make up on and I forgot I was wearing it! It feels well, you don’t feel it. I thought this trial size stuff is so small but it just covers so well and so little does soooo MUCH! My sister has bare minerals and I told her the kit I have is the best deal I have EVER seen!!!! I look so good I really wanted to cry. My skin is so irritated and sore. I couldn’t wear any make up for the last 3 months.These minerals cover so well and feel so good that I was shocked at my reflection in the mirror! I love, love,love it!!! Customer for Life! Teresa PS. I am emailing my sister NOW to buy some.
After being a big time Bare Escentuals user for a LONG time, I cannot believe how awesome all of these products are. One of my favorites is the Lip Renewal Cream. You must try it!! It truly immediately makes your lips feel brand new. You can also apply lipstick on top of it after waiting a few minutes and it will cling smoothly, last and look beautiful. This is the first lip cream I have tried that actually did what it said it would do without being greasy or too glossy to allow your lipstick to stay on. After trying the makeup, I am now working into the skin care products. Love the Cremetherapy which cools and calms your skin and leaves it incredibly smooth!! I am now waiting on the Anti-Aging Lift Cream. Also love the Mojave Blush! It is just a soft natural pink that makes you look much younger with a dewy glow. You MUST try these products! They are truly the best. It is so fun being able to try more products with the incredibly reasonable cost and available samples! Please don’t ever stop making these wonderful products!!!!!!!
This is a beautiful story, it almost made me cry. lol. And God bless you for following your dream! I wish you all the success in the world.
This was just such a wonderful Story. I have used few of the products, which I love, but I still need to try the concealer. I have entered the contest for the bronzer which will be great to try also. Since not good to get too much sun. Best of luck.